A Ghost Along the Coast
by Taren Riley
Summary: The gang goes to visit Velma's cousin, Larry, and his lighthouse and, of course, stumble into a mystery involving gold, smuglers, and storms.
1. Scene 1

Scene 1  
  
LIGHTNING STABS ACROSS A BLACK SKY, QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY A TERRIBLE CLAP OF THUNDER. IMMEDIATELY RAIN BEGINS TO COME DOWN IN TORRENTS. ONE CAN BARELY SEE THE NARROW ROAD LINED WITH TREES THAT DISAPPEARS INTO THE STORM. SUDDENLY TWO STREAMS OF LIGHT CUT THROUGH THE RAIN. SOON A LARGE, BRIGHTLY COLORED VAN CAN BE SEEN CREEPING SLOWLY ALONG THE ROAD. IT APPEARS TO BE A JUNKY, FUNKY PAINTED, REALLY OLD DODGE RAM® VAN. INSIDE THREE PEOPLE CAN BE SEEN SITTING IN THE FRONT SEAT. ALL JUMP AS ANOTHER THUNDERBOLT RUMBLES AROUND THEM.  
  
Velma: Wow, that was close.  
  
Daphne: Maybe you better slow down, Freddy.  
  
Freddy: I'm already going twenty miles an hour. If I slowed down, it'd probably be faster if we just got out and walked.  
  
Daphne: I wonder if there are any ships out in this storm.  
  
Velma: Well if they are, my cousin, Larry's lighthouse will be able to help them.  
  
SUDDENLY ANOTHER GUY AND A GREAT DANE POP UP FROM THE BACK SEAT.  
  
Shaggy: Uh, like, speakin' o' which, (GETS SCARED LOOK ON HIS FACE) are we almost there?  
  
Freddy: You asked that five minutes ago, Shag.  
  
Shaggy: Well, you said about ten minutes then so that's about, like, five minutes now.  
  
Daphne: Yeah, but that was before this storm came up.  
  
Freddy: It'll probably take at least another ten minutes or so, right Velma?  
  
Scooby: Ren mrinutes?  
  
Velma: Well, it's been a long time since I've visited cousin Larry. We may be closer than we think.  
  
Freddy: Come on, guys. It's just another little thunder storm. Nothing to worry about.  
  
EVERYONE FREEZES AS A BONE CHILLING LAUGH RENTS THE NIGHT AIR. SCOOBY AND SHAGGY DISAPPEAR BEHIND THE SEAT.  
  
Daphne: What was that?  
  
Velma: Oh, it was probably just the wind. (SHE LOOKS OVER THE SEAT AT TWO LUMPS UNDER A BLANKET THAT ARE TREMBLING TERRIBLY.) Come on, you two. I think we're almost there.  
  
SHAGGY STICKS HIS HEAD OUT.  
  
Shaggy: Uh, you know guys, like, maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.  
  
Freddy: Shaggy, Larry needs our help. If something goes wrong at the lighthouse, people could die.  
  
Velma: And besides, we've never been known to turn down the chance to solve a mystery.  
  
Shaggy: (LAUGHS NERVOUSLY.) You haven't. (HE DUCKS BACK UNDER THE BLANKET WITH SCOOBY.) You know, pal, sometimes I wish we'd never gone into this business.  
  
Scooby: Re roo, Raggy. 


	2. Scene 2

Scene 2  
  
THE RAIN IS STILL BEATING DOWN WHEN THE MYSTERY MACHINE PULLS UP TO A TALL, DARK LIGHTHOUSE. A SINGLE BEAM OF LIGHT IS ROTATING AROUND FROM THE TOP OF THE BUILDING. THE KIDS HURRY OUT OF THE VAN AND UP TO THE DOOR. FREDDY KNOCKS ON THE DOOR. IT OPENS AND A MIDGET STARES UP AT THEM.  
  
Midget: (HE SPEAKS IN A SOFT WHISPER.) May I help you?  
  
Freddy: Uh, yeah, we're here to see Larry Lighter.  
  
Velma: He's my cousin. I'm Velma Dinkly.  
  
Midget: Right this way.  
  
HE STEPS ASIDE AND ALLOWS THEM TO ENTER. THEY FOLLOW HIM INTO A REGULAR LOOKING ROOM THAT IS FURNISHED WITH A FEW PIECES OF FURNITURE, BUT NOTHING ELSE.  
  
Shaggy: Like, this is one spooky place, huh, Scoob?  
  
Scooby: Reah, rooky.  
  
Midget: My name is Harley. If you'll just wait here a moment. I'll inform the master that you're here.  
  
HE LEAVES THE ROOM THROUGH A SIDE DOOR.  
  
Daphne: Boy, was he creepy or what?  
  
Velma: I certainly don't remember him from my last visit.  
  
Freddy: I wonder how he's connected with your cousin.  
  
Shaggy: Hey, you guys, this sounds like a good angle. Why don't we just say Harley the Horrible did it and be done with it.  
  
Scooby: Reah, Rarley.  
  
Freddy: We're not even sure if something's happened yet, Scooby.  
  
Velma: All Larry's letter said was that he needed me right away and it was okay for me to bring you guys along.  
  
Daphne: That doesn't mean something's wrong.  
  
Shaggy: Like, why else would he ask us to come immediately?  
  
SUDDENLY HARLEY RETURNS.  
  
Harley: The master will see you now. If you'll just follow me. 


	3. Scene 3

Scene 3  
  
AFTER CLIMBING THREE SETS OF STAIRS THE TIRED GANG FINALLY ARRIVES AT "THE MASTER'S" ROOM. IT LOOKS LIKE THE INSIDE OF A SUBMARINE. THERE IS A LARGE CHAIR LOOKING OUT A CIRCULAR WINDOW LARGE ENOUGH FOR SHAGGY TO STREATCH FULL LENGTH ON. THE CHAIR SWIVELS AROUND AND THERE SITS A FIVE FOOT, TWO HUNDRED POUND MAN WHO LOOKS LIKE THE SKIPPER OF A SHIP.  
  
Man: Velma! Cousin Velma!  
  
Velma: Cousin Larry!  
  
LARRY PUSHES HIMSELF UP FROM THE CHAIR AND GIVES VELMA A BEAR HUG.  
  
Larry: So, this must be the Mystery Inc.  
  
Velma: Yes. This is Freddy Jones, Daphne Blake, Norvill Rogers.  
  
Shaggy: Like, just call me Shaggy.  
  
Velma: And Scooby-Doo.  
  
Larry: We're glad you all could come, aren't we, Harley?  
  
Harley: Ecstatic.  
  
Larry: What was that, Har?  
  
Harley: Nothing, master.  
  
NO ONE SPEAKS AS HE SILENTLY LEAVES THE ROOM, BOWING ALMOST EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.  
  
Freddy: So, how long's he, ahem, been working for you?  
  
Larry: Oh, he's been with me for the last seventeen years.  
  
Velma: But Larry, I don't remember him at all.  
  
Larry: Oh, he's been around. Mostly he's been working for me on me boat.  
  
Daphne: You have a boat? Groovy.  
  
Larry: It's nothing much, just one of those old river boats that I sometimes let people take short cruses along the coast in.  
  
Freddy: You mean those boats with those giant paddles?  
  
Shaggy: And, like, with dinner and a show?  
  
Daphne: All included in the ticket price?  
  
Larry: Why, since you're friends of Velma I see no reason to charge you anything.  
  
Freddy: Thanks a lot, Mr. Lighter. That's very generous.  
  
Larry: Oh, just call me Larry. Well, it looks like the storm seems to be clearing up. Would you like to go down and see it now?  
  
Velma: We'd love to. 


	4. Scene 4

LARRY LEADS THE GANG OUT THE BACK DOOR OF THE LIGHTHOUSE AND DOWN TOWARDS THE DOCK. THE SUN IS SHINING BUT THERE ARE STILL A FEW RAIN DROPS FALLING. LARRY LEADS THEM DOWN A PATH TO THE SHORE AND OUT ONTO A DOCK. A BEAUTIFUL BOAT IS FLOATING IDLY NEXT TO IT.  
  
Larry: Well, there she is, The Phantom Lady.  
  
Shaggy: Ph-ph-ph-phantom? HE JUMPS INTO SCOOBY'S ARMS.  
  
Scooby: Roh, no!  
  
Larry: Don't let the name scare ya, lads. Although she did used to belong to a pirate long ago, there's nothing scary about her now.  
  
Daphne: She's beautiful.  
  
Velma: A pirate? Sounds interesting.  
  
Larry: Yep, about two hundred years ago a man by the name of Peter McClooney used to own that thar boat. Every year he'd go on a huge gallivant up and down the coast pillaging and plundering. T'weren't long before the name o' Peter McClooney was known all over the Atlantic coast.  
  
Freddy: How did you get his boat?  
  
Larry: Well, I have a friend who is his great-great-great grandson. They kept the boat in their family and my friend didna have any children so he gave it to me.  
  
Velma: That's neat.  
  
Daphne: So can we go on her?  
  
Larry: Why sure. Come aboard and meet my crew.  
  
Shaggy: None of them are descendants of pirates are they?  
  
Larry: As a matter of fact they are.  
  
Scooby: Rikes!  
  
Shaggy: Gulp!  
  
Freddy: Come on, guys. It's just a paddle boat.  
  
Velma: And all the pirates are long gone.  
  
Shaggy: But, like, you always say that, man. And then we always meet pirates.  
  
Scooby: Reah, prirates!  
  
Daphne: Come on, fellas, it'll be fun.  
  
ALL WALK UP THE GANG PLANK AFTER LARRY, SHAGGY AND SCOOBY TREMBLING WITH EVERY STEP. 


End file.
